Weight Lifting Boosts Blood Vessel Function

Pumping iron could protect you from nerve damage and heart disease by encouraging better blood flow and circulation. In a study, 35 middle-aged adults, including 12 with type 2 diabetes, worked their leg muscles in seven intense one-minute intervals, alternating sets of three different weight-bearing exercises. The participants with diabetes experienced the greatest improvements in blood vessel function. It’s unclear whether those short-term improvements will lead to long-term benefits, researchers say. Source:American Journal of Physiology: Heart and Circulatory Physiology, published online Sept. 16, 2016